by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 3, 2013 | Addiction, Alcohol, Health, Homeopathy, Politics, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic
As many of you know, Toronto’s mayor, Rob Ford, is in the spotlight again. It seems that the famous “Crack Video” that was reported on in May, 2013, does exist, as confirmed by Toronto Chief of Police Bill Blair, who confiscated it in the drug raid, Project Traveller, a few months ago. From his numerous instances of public intoxication to his controversial, fiery politics, Rob Ford has always been a controversial mayor. He is being asked by colleagues – opponents and supporters alike – and the people of Toronto to step down from his role while he gets his life in order. While the jig seems to be up, he maintains irritatingly steadfast, refusing to take a leave of absence and even refusing to admit that he has a problem at all. It’s clear he needs some nature cure, ASAP.
Turning to one of the modalities of naturopathic medicine, homeopathy, I wonder if there isn’t a remedy that could help Mr. Ford un-stick himself from this awkward predicament and give him the strength to move forward.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Sep 8, 2013 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Health, Nature Cure, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Women's health
A few years ago I was experiencing digestive issues. Not to get too graphic, but I was having bloating and that impending feeling that things weren’t 100% “alright” down there. I didn’t seek help from a holistic practitioner at first, however. The reason for this was simple, but kind of silly when I look back, wishing I knew then what I know now: I felt like my symptom, as uncomfortable as it was, wasn’t a real “symptom”. I thought that, if I sought help for something as small as “bloating” (which I’d been told was normal by every other medical professional – common, perhaps, but not normal), I’d be labelled a complainer, a hypochondriac.
Now, of course, I know that not only is the onset of a “little” symptom the perfect time to go to a naturopathic doctor – it’s the first indication that we’ve strayed from balance – any kind of suffering is a legitimate reason to seek medical care. Got bloating? See a naturopathic doctor. Here are some more things a naturopathic doctor (or RSNC intern) can do for you:
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jun 17, 2013 | Balance, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Healing Stories, Health, Meditation, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Nature Cure, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Philosophy, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic
I am currently reading the book Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, MBSR, a mindful meditation program that I am currently taking, and I came across this paragraph that I thought was worth sharing with all of you:
“You probably won’t be surprised to learn that the word health itself means ‘whole’. Whole implies integration, an interconnectedness of all parts of a system or organism, a completeness. The nature of wholeness is that it is always present.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Jun 10, 2013 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Education, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Stress, Student
Dear Students of Naturopathic Medicine in years 1, 2 and 3,
I understand that at this point, and especially if you are currently at any stage in 3rd year, you might be wondering: is this all worth it? And, please, feel free to exhale because, from where I’m standing right now, in my first month of clinic: 4th year is worth it. It seems like the years you’re in, the first 3, hectic, joyless and spirit-crushing years spent in class, practicals and writing more exams than you can number off, come together at last to prepare you for your real job, your future life’s work. And what great work it’s turned out to be.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | May 14, 2013 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Evidence Based Medicine, Health, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic
The 4th year naturopathic clinical intern team for 2013/2014!
As you probably know, my classmates and I have completed our 3rd year of naturopathic medical school and are about to embark on our 12-month clinical internship and final year as naturopathic medical students.
My brilliant classmates and I start to practice tomorrow, from 9 am – 7 pm at various locations around Toronto and the GTA, and we are accepting new patients!
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | May 3, 2013 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Exams, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Stress, Student
The CCNM class of 2014 started our naturopathic medical education in September of 2010 (or Jan 2011, for the Janbabies). Since then we have written and performed exactly 90 exams (including our board exam, NPLEX 1, in the summer after 2nd year). 90 seems like a nice, round number. Not quite 100, more than 50. Every bit crazy. These exams represent a combination of penciled-in scantron cards, bleached and ironed lab coats and freshly charged opthalmoscopes. We measure them in collaborative Gmail notes, last-minute cramming in the seminar rooms, Monday taco salads, ad hoc yoga flows, Starbucks coffee, late-night, delirious, Facebook chats, shared laughs over med school Tumblrs and collective venting in the hallways with pre-sharpened pencils still in hand.
90 Exams.
That’s how many times my classmates and I have put pencil to paper, or been tested on a practical skill, from clinical diagnostics, acupuncture and manipulation to emergency responses. In the past three years we’ve written so many exams that, if you were to number them off, it would take you a minute and a half just to count them. We are superstars, exam-taking rockstars, bosses. CCNM students are hardcore. And, on May 13th, 2013, we’ll be in clinic, benefiting patients with the accumulation of knowledge represented by 90 examinations tucked away in our pretty little brains. We’re more than ready.
I encourage all my non-CCNM readers living in or near Toronto, Canada to visit and book an appointment at the Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic. Book an appointment to see one of my extraordinarily persistent, gifted, hardcore classmates as your primary intern. We’ve earned the ability to help you on your journey to health.
Because nobody writes 90 exams in less than 3 years, unless you’re awesome (or under the influence of some serious naturopathic remedies). And who wouldn´t want a piece of that awesomeness for themselves?
Congratulations, class of 2014! We DID IT!
by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Apr 15, 2013 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic
What is naturopathic medicine? My colleagues and I are often stumped to answer the question. Not because we aren’t aware of what we do but because our philosophy has become so deeply ingrained in our own skin that it’s hard to separate it from the rest of us. What’s naturopathic medicine? Why, it’s everything! How do you explain that? One of our assignments for 3rd year Practice Management was to write an elevator speech, a short 60-second blurb explaining naturopathic medicine to a curious elevator mate. Here is the one I came up with. I hope it conveys that everyone can benefit from what naturopathic doctors do.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Nov 7, 2012 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Clinical Science, Education, Evidence Based Medicine, Health, Naturopathic Philosophy, Naturopathic Principles, Philosophy, Relationships, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Stress, Student
I found this thought-provoking blog post from a 4th year North American medical student on the computerization of med school. As naturopathic medical students we like to think that we’re the only healthcare professionals that actually “care” about people. However, this is simply not true. I believe that most people get into medicine – any kind of medicine – for the right reasons, one of those reasons being a love for humanity. It’s only whether those reasons are still with us at the end of the 4 years that truly makes the difference.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Apr 23, 2012 | Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Clinic, Exams, Humour, Mental Health, OSCE, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Student
Monday, April 23, a date that has been haunting me for the past few months, marked the day that I embarked on my second Objective Structured Clinical Examination: The OSCE.
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by Dr. Talia Marcheggiani, ND | Feb 27, 2012 | Art, Asian Medicine, Balance, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Clinic, Naturopathic Philosophy, Research, Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic, Stress, Student
Another naturopathic exam session has come and gone. The end of our last midterm week tucked an uncomfortable 49 exams (in less than two years) under our already stuffed belts. Despite the over-stuffing of knowledge (taxing our Spleens, according to TCM, which is the equivalent of overeating at a buffet), I can’t help but feel empty at the end of these week-long ordeals.
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